


Deep Sea Nine

by StarTravel



Series: DS9 One Shots [4]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Fluff and Humor, Julian is a Disney Prince, Protective Miles O’Brien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 18:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16728423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTravel/pseuds/StarTravel
Summary: Julian is a merman with dreams of learning more about surface medicine and about a certain blue-eyed Cardassian ambassador. Miles is his long suffering best friend who has to listen to all of this.Or the AU where Julian is kind of Ariel, Miles is sort of flounder but grumpy as can be, and Garak is discussed but not seen (yet).





	Deep Sea Nine

**Author's Note:**

> So I made myself a 100 prompt list and I’m choosing them with a random generator, and today was mermaid au haha.

Julian swims in a circle around him, teal and deeper green scales shimmering in the low light coming up from the early morning sun and matching his eyes. Miles huffs from where he floats right below him, glancing up at the thin veil of water covering them.  It’s not nearly enough and Captain Sisko is going to kill both of them for getting this close to the surface without a good reason. Julian lets out a low sigh as he twists around to stare at Miles wistfully. “I want to go up there.”

 “Excuse me?” Miles asks in a low voice as swims up to rest by Julian’s side, his golden scales taking on a faint glow in the morning light. Which means they’re way too close to the surface for his comfort and he needs to get Julian back to the reefs.

 “On land, where the people are.” Julian lets out a longing, almost whimper like sound, hands shifting around rapidly in the air as though he’s already imagining all of the different materials he could _touch_ on the surface. Miles closes his eyes tightly, furrowing his brow. Of course Julian wants to go visit the land-dwellers. Of course he wants to go where everything could and probably wants to kill him or capture him to study. _Of_ _course_.

 “Why?” Miles groans as he presses his face into his palms, taking a few deep breaths and trying to remind himself that he loves his friends and his jobs. How babysitting wide-eyed idealists with far too many brains and not near enough common sense became a part of that, Miles has no idea. But it has, and he’s not about to let Julian go swim to whatever shore they’re lying under without so much as a survey of who or what might be up there. Not when this is the mer who once tried to stay with his captors the mountains just to try and cure some Jem Hadar disease. His convictions have always been too strong for reality, and it’s starting to become a real problem.

 Julian hasn’t noticed that though, eyes widening with an exhiliaration and delight Miles isn’t sure he’s ever felt. Julian twists around in a circle, hands moving almost too quickly for Miles to keep track of and tail flicking back and forth as he pushes toward the sky again. “Science, Miles! I want to know about how their genetics work, their medicine, what were ahead of in our research and what they can teach us. The advancements I could make combining that research-”

 “Your modesty is outstanding, my prince.” Miles answers with a low huff as he grabs one of Julian’s shoulder and drags him back down to safer waters. Julian allows it even as he shoots Miles a sharp glare, lips pursed as he stares down at the thick coral reefs and errant sea caves that make up Deep Sea 9.

 “How many times have I told you to not to call me that, Miles?” Julian chides as though Miles actually has a choice, chin jutting up as he stares off into the distance towards where his own kingdom lies defiantly. As a prince, Julian could have had any position he wanted at almost any court or scientific center if he so insisted on that rule. But Julian insists on coming here where he is in and also _is_ constant trouble. The fact that he’s trouble Miles has grown fond of just makes it that much worse. Julian gives him a half-smile, tilting his head to the left as they come closer to their home base. “I’m just Julian.”

 “Well, _Julian_ , how much of this is about how science and how much of this is about you wanting to see that lizard ambassador again?” Miles asks with a pointed raise of the eyebrow, crossing his arms just below his gills. Julian swims a little faster at that, gaze turned anywhere but at Miles. He finally comes to rest in front of a particularly thick patch of seagrass, his fingers lightly running over the strands.

 “Mr. Garak? I suppose I might see him again, if I visit the surface.” Julian’s voice is practically a whisper, a light flush spreading across his cheeks and down his neck towards his gills. It highlights the lean muscle of his chest, and God but Miles hopes he doesn’t do that in front of Garak. Julian’s gaze goes far away and dreamy for just a moment, touch growing delicate as though he’s running his hands over Garak’s hair instead of plants. Still, Miels can’t deny the conviction in his voice when he speaks again. “But the science really is the main focus here, Miles.”

 “Of course.” Miles sighs as he swims over to Julian’s side, the edge of his fins brushing against his tail. He meets Julian’s eye, gaze and voice both growing more serious as he takes the determination in Julian’s eyes in. “I do actually believe you, Julian, but you know it’s not safe. That kind of magic is temperamental at best. You don’t want to be in the middle of the forest when your legs suddenly turn back into fins.”

 Julian’s smile only grows wider at that, even as his hands come to rest in front of him, interlocked. There’s a knowing in his gaze along with the determination, a softness that’s almost like an apology for leaving.

  Miles swallows tightly and wonders if Julian’s already talked to Sisko and Kira about this, if he’s the last to know that his best friend is going to risk his life on the off-chance of a new cure or vaccine once _again_. “I would stay by the sea, Miles. There’s a very lovely tropic community-”

 “Where Garak lives.” Miles adds before he can stop himself, letting out a low grumbling sound deep in his chest. He knows the lizard kingdom’s least favorite son isn’t Julian’s main reason for going to the surface. Julian’s impulsive in love, but not _that_ impulsive. It doesn’t change the fact that Miles wishes his friend could still be chasing after Jadzia or that Felix he was apparently obsessed with during medical school. Anyone who’s not going to at best give him a lifetime of confusion at best.

 “He might, but it is also a medical and scientific center for the land-dwellers and I could stay in the sea while conducting my research.” Julian’s smile grows more sure this time, a softness to his gaze as he brushes up against Miles’ side. Miles can see his near constant excitement for one of his new ideas is tempered with a better head this time, a wish to save lives purely for saving them rather than out of some high-minded ideals or wish for glory.

  Miles can’t deny Julian that. He’s never been able to deny him much of anything.

 Miles rolls his eyes anyway, because it wouldn’t do to not at least _pretend_ to be annoyed with Julian. He juts his lower lip out as he swims in front of Julian, toward the thick patches of seaweed that leads to their safe haven, their home. Not that it’s always that safe, between the Cardassians and the Dominion down where no lights reach the sea floor. But it’s theirs and that’s something. Julian will be going out of their territory, out of safety while he lives in front of Cardassia. No one will be there to protect him. Well, no one except Garak and all those books he gives Julian to read with smiles too sharp for Miles to trust in the least. “And while arguing about literature with-”

“Just promise me you’ll be on my side when I argue this to my father.” Julian cuts him off in a tight voice, gaze flicking away for a second as though to will away any oncoming signs of infatuation. Julian doesn’t quite manage, scales taking on a warmer hue and gaze growing softer as he thinks about the old Lizard waiting for him on land. God, but Julian’s far gone this time.

 Still, Miles knows that Garak and his too-blue eyes are just a bonus, not got why for Julian’s going near the surface. And he can’t go to land without permission from the father who wants to drag Julian and whom Julian hates for reasons Miles doesn’t know but trusts. Something’s just off about the way the other man treats his friend. No, Miles will support Julian in in this, because that’s all he can do. That, and give his grinning friend one final warning. “Fine, but don’t come running to me when he breaks your heart.”


End file.
